If we could go back in time ten years, there would be a remarkable improvement in the quality of public health services offered to the Brazilian population, such as increased access to the excluded, political layers and programs that ensured access to generic drugs, among others.

More than 200 million inhabitants, a territory of continental dimensions and a complex reality, with great social and economic differences. Because of these characteristics, Brazil is a country that has the largest public health system in the world in population coverage. A big challenge, isn't it? In 1988 the Unique Health Network (SUS, Sistema Único de Saúde) was created, an initiative recognized by its citizens as one of the most successful social reforms for its universal and egalitarian features.

Now think about the benefits that could be added to this broad health system with the implementation of a tool that is capable of modernizing the country’s health sector, while at the same time reducing costs and expanding access to health care, increasing the quality of care provided to citizens.

Telemedicine. This is the tool that employs advanced technological resources to manage medical images, diagnostics communication, telerehabilitation, storage of patient data and their medical history, among others. The adoption of Telemedicine tends to expand health services in situations where distance is a critical factor, with the ability to promote, among other benefits, access to specialists and diagnostic centers, to which people did not have access due to their being very far from these resources, or due to being part of a disadvantaged community.

Specifically, technology such as telemedicine contributes to better quality of care for all people, anywhere and at any time, allowing patients to live a normal life without losing quality in the services provided. In the case of Brazil, which has regions with such different characteristics, telemedicine enables a patient in a remote rural area to have access to the advanced medical resources of large urban centers. With the adoption of telemedicine, various agents such as hospitals, patients and professionals share the same information, diagnostics and services.

There are many examples that prove the success of the adoption of telemedicine. Currently under development is the project known as 'SAHEL' ("Satellite African eHealth validation") to bring telemedicine services to sub-Saharan Africa, with the aim of supporting the implementation and subsequent extension of economically viable telemedicine services in Africa through the integrated use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and satellite technology.

Another successful case is the P&D project carried out in Andalusia, Spain, to enable patients to have easy and secure online access to their medical history through the widespread deployment of telemedicine services. PALANTE (Patient Leading and Managing their Healthcare through e-Health) aims to help patients play a more active role in their health care, together with the medical team that serves them, through new information and communications technologies.

In addition to promoting access to medical resources by patients, telemedicine also enables the exchange of information and learning among health professionals, eliminating distance barriers. Backed by advanced technological resources, a pioneering knee surgery was broadcast live in Spain last year for about 300 universities and hospitals across five continents with the aim of training professionals in this new type of procedure. This Master Class will enable this surgical technique to be used in new areas with scarce resources: healthcare centers, outpatient clinics, rural areas, hospitals in peacekeeping missions and veterinary clinics.

Thus, we see that Telemedicine emerges as a significant tool to overcome cultural, socio-economic and geographic barriers for health information and services in remote towns and communities in need. In addition, its application greatly contributes to better use of resources already available in the public health system, optimizing the service, the scheduling of appointments and tests, and the use of hospital beds, reducing waiting lines for service and ensuring that citizens have access to the best health resources.